Shun the company of the ill-reputed,
Lest it should discredit your family.

Never will a bitter melon turn sweet,
Even if you take on a pligrimage to Mecca.

Never will the offspring of a crow grow into a swan,
Even if you nourish it on pearls.

Never will the water of a bitter well turn sweet,
Even if you pour tons of sugar into it.

–

–

–

–

Nit asaade khalle khaandee,
Ehaa duneeaa zishtee hoo.

Jainde kaaran baih baih rovan,
Sheikh, mushaaikh, Chishtee hoo.

Jinhaan andar hubb duneeaa dee,
Gharq unhaan dee kishtee hoo.

Tark duneeaa dee kar toon Baahoo,
Khaasaa raah bahishtee hoo.

–

This foul, ugly world For which priests and leaders of religion shed tears
Is rebuffed and rebuked by the lovers of God.

If you are ambitious for the world,
You will drown midstream in the ocean of life.

Let us renounce the world, O Bahu,
And adopt the invaluable path to God.

–

–

–

–

Nafal namaazaan kamm zanaanaa,
Roze sarfaa rotee hoo.

Makke de val soee jaande,
Gharon jinhaan tarotee hoo.

Uchcheeaan baangaan soee devan,
Neeat jinhaan dee khotee hoo.

Keeh parvaah tinhaan noon,
jinhaan Ghar wich laddhee bauhtee hoo.

–

Formal prayer and prostration are feeble pursuits.
Fasting has little merit, other than to save food.

Only they go on pilgrimage to Mecca
Who are not wanted at home.

Only they pray loudly, professing their devotion,
Who are deceptive of intent.

But those who have found God’s Name in their hearts
Care not to fast nor prostrate themselves in formal prayer.

–

–

–

–

Na oh Hindu na oh momin,
Na sajdaa den maseetee hoo.

Dam dam de wich wekhan Maulaa,
Jinhaan qazaa na keetee hoo.

Aahe daane bane divane,
Zaat sahee vanj keetee hoo.

Main qurbaan tinhaan ton Baahoo,
Ishq baazee jin leetee hoo.

–

Not Hindu’s no Muslims-
Free of religious ties, lovers don’t pray in temples;

But they never take a break from their devotions
And are always in communion with the Lord within.

Absorbed in the essence of the Lord,
They feign ignorance to conceal their wisdom.

I sacrifice myself to anyone, O Bahu,
Who eneters the arena of love and wins its game.

–

–

–

–

Na Rabb arsh mu-alla utte,
Na Rabb khaavve Kaabe hoo.

Na Rabb ilm kitaabeen labbhaa,
Na Rabb wich maihraabe hoo.

Ganga teerath mool na miliaa,
Painde be-hisaabe hoo.

Jad daa murshid pharhiaa Baahoo,
Chhutte sab aazaabe hoo.

–

God doesn’t live in the highest heaven,
Nor can he be found in the holy shrine of Ka’ba.

No one ever found him through learning
Or by knowing the scriptures.

I never met him through bathing in holy waters-
I roamed far and wide in a fruitless search.

But I was rid of all my despair and anguish
When I put myself in my Master’s hands, O Bahu.

–

–

–

–

Na koee taalib, na koee murshid,
Sab dilaase mutthe hoo.

Raah faqr daa pare parere,
Hirs duneeaa dee kutthe hoo.

Shauq Ilaahee ghaalib hoiaa,
Jind marne te utthe hoo.

Jain tan bharhke bhaah birhon dee,
Maran tirhaae bhukkhe hoo.

–

There aer few genuine disciples.
People purporting to be Masters Perpetuate themselves with false promises.

They exploit their followers to satisfy their greed;
They have no inkling of the exaltation of the mystic path.

But when their hearts are touched by God’s love,
They willingly sacrifice their lives on this path.

People who burn in the fire of worldly passions
Will die hungry and thirsty for the world.

–

–

–

–

Na main jogee na main jangam,
Na main chillaa kamaaiaa hoo.

Na main bhajj maseetee varhiaa,
Na tasbaa kharhkaaiaa hoo.

Jo dam ghaaril so dam kaafir,
Murshid eh farmaaiaa hoo.

Murshid sohnee keetee Baahoo,
Pal wich chaa pahunchaaiaa hoo.

–

I am not a yogi, I am not a jangam.*
I don’t do forty-day retreats.

I have never escaped to a mosque,
Nor have I ever rattled the beads of a rosary.

My Master has taught me a precious lesson:
The moment you have forgotten to remember God
Is the moment you have spent in denial of God!

O, what a marvel my Master has performed-
In no time has he transported me to the Lord!
*
(A kind of Hindu mendicant with matted hair and bells; a worshiper of Shiva)–

–

–

–

Na main ser na paa chhataakee,
Na pooree sarsaahee hoo.

Na main tolaa, na main maasaa,
Gal rattiaan te aaee hoo.

Rattee hovaan rattiaan tullaan,
Oh bhee pooree naahee hoo.

Wazan tol pooraa tad hosee,
Jad hosee fazal Ilaahee hoo.

–

I am neither a seer nor a pao.*
I am not a chhatak nor quite a sarsahi.

I am not a tola nor indeed a masha.
I must now weigh myself against a ratti.

But I find I am even less significant
Than a ratti, the smallest measure of weight!

I will only assume my true worth
When the Lord showers his grace on me!
*
(A sser is a weight measure, slightly less than a kilogram. Bahu takes seer as the standard representing a spiritually mature person. He mentions other weight measures (give in italics) in their descending order-right down to ratti, the smallest measure. This bait is on humility and self abnegation, inferring that we are totally worthless; that it is God’s grace alone that can invest our couls with value)–

–

–

–

Na main Sunnee, na main Sheeaa,
Dohaan ton fil sarhiaa hoo.

Mukk gae sabh khushkee painde,
Jad dariaa wahadat varhiaa hoo.

Kaee mantaare tar tar haare,
Koee kinaare charhhiaa hoo.

Sahee salaamat paar gae,
Jinh murshid daa larh pharhiaa hoo.

–

I am neither a Sunni nor a Shia:
Both make me sick; both cause me heartburn.

The arid part of my journey ended
When I turned away from both
And plunged into the ocean of oneness.

Many dived into that ocean ill-prepared,
And drowned- Only the rare one who was able to swim across!

But those who held fast to their Master’s hand
Safely landed ashore.–

–

–

–

Na main aalim, na main faazil,
Na muftee na qazee hoo.

Na dil meraa dozakh te,
Na shauq bahishteen raazee hoo.

Na main treehe roze rakkhe,
Na main paak namaazee hoo.

Bajh wisaal Allaah de Baahoo,
Duneeaa koorhee baazee hoo.

–

I am neither scholarly nor virtuous;
I am not a priest, Nor am I an expounder of Qur’anic law.

I crave not heavenn, I fear not hell.

I have never fasted for the thrity days of ramzaan,
Nor have I been a devout worshipper in a mosque.

This world is but a false drama
Unless union is attained with God, O Bahu

–

–

–

–

Naheen faqeeree jhalliaan maaran,
Suttiaan lok jagaavan hoo.

Naheen faqeeree vaihndeeaan nadeeaan,
Sukkiaan paar langhaavan hoo.

Naheen faqeeree wich havaa de,
Sajjaadaa thairaavan hoo.

Naam faqeer tinhaan da,
jehrhe Dil wich dost tikaavan hoo.

–

Spiritual life does not consist Of loud prayers and frenzied dancing-
They only upset the peace and quiet of early morning.

Walking on water is not spirituality

Nor is praying on mats suspended in mid air.

They alone may be called mystics, O Bahu,
Who have enshrined the Friend in their hearts.

–

–

–

–

Nerhe wassan door daseevan,
Vehrhe naaheen varhde hoo.

Andar dhoondan vall na aaiaa,
Baahir dhoondan charhhde hoo.

Door giaan kujh haasil naahin,
Shauh labbhe wich ghar de hoo.

Dil kar saiqal sheeshe vaangoon,
Door theevan kul parde hoo.

–

The Lord lives nearby but seems so far away:

You don’t know how to look for him within!

Nothing will be achieved by looking outside-
He lives right in your own backyard!

All the veils will be lifted, O Bahu,
When you remove all the coverings of dirt,
And your heart shines like a mirror.

–

–

–

–

Wahadat de dariaa uchhalle,
Jal thal jangal reene hoo.

Ishq dee zaat maneende naaheen,
Saangaan jhall tapeene hoo.

Ang bhabhoot maleende ditthe,
Sai javaan lakheene hoo.

Main qurbaan tinhaan ton,
jehrhe Hondee himmat heene hoo.

–

The river of oneness has surged,
Quenching the thirst of the deserts and wastelands.

If you don’t nurture God’s love in your heart,
You will be dry and parched like those deserts-

I have seen many a young ascetic smeared with ash.

I sacrifice myself to anyone, O Bahu,
Who humbles himself in his youth and power.

–

–

–

–

Wahadat de dariaa ucchalle,
Hik dil sahee na keetee hoo.

Hik butkhaane waasil thee-e,
Hik parhh parhh rahe maseetee hoo.

Fazil chhadd fazeelat baithe,
Ishq baazee jaan leetee hoo.

Hargiz Rabb na mildaa,
jinhaan Trattee chaurh na keetee hoo.

–

The ocean of oneness overflowed with love,
But still people went thirsty- They didn’t open their hearts.

Some merged with the Lord through idol worship;
Others wasted their time with scriptures in mosques.

But when their hearts were touched by God’s love,
These scholars denounced their learning.

You will never be worthy of meeting God, O Bahu,
If you have not sacrificed your all for him.

–

–

–

–

Wahadat de dariaa Ilaahee,
Aashiq lainde taaree hoo.

Maaran tubbeeaan kaddhan motee,
Aapo-apnee vaaree hoo.

Durr-e-yateem lae lishkaare,
Jion chann laataan maaree hoo.

So kion naaheen haasil bharde,
Jo naukar sarkaaree hoo.

–

The Lord is an ocean of oneness
In which lovers swim as they please, free of care.

In their own turn, they appear in the world
To dive deep into that ocean, to gather pearls.

Among the pearls is a gem- Unique in value, unmatched in lustre-
That shines like the moon.*

We are all in the employ of the Lord, O Bahu;
Let us pay homage to him through our paryers.
*(A pearl of unique value signifies the Word of God, or Kalma)

Ever since the Lord ordained the Creation,
I have been pledged to return to my original home.

People know, from my quest for unity in God,
That I am as anxious as I am eager to merge with him.

I shall bear the blows of destiny as I pursue him,
While I am ferried across to him on the boat of his love.

No one ever found the Lord while living, O Bahu,
exept those who found him By dying while living.

–

–

–

–

Vaih vaih nadeeaan taaroo hoeeaan,
Bambal chhorhe kaahaan hoo.

Yaar asaadaa rang mahalleen,
Dar te khale sikaahaan hoo.

Na koee aave, na koee jaave,
Kain hath likh munjaahaan hoo.

Jekar khabr jaanee dee aave,
Kaleeon phull theevaahaan hoo.

–

Water flows in streams, like life in the river of time.
The reeds have blossomed again-
Another season of life has passed!

I still tarry on my Lord’s doorstep-
Waiting for the nod to enter his glorious palace.

I see no one going in, no one coming out-
How can I get my heart’s message to him?

The bud of my heart would unfurl into a flower
Were I to receive his Word, Were I called to his presence.

–

–

–

–

Hardam sharm dee tand tarorhe,
Jaan eh chhodak bulle hoo.

Kichrak baalaan aqal daa deevaa,
Birhon anheree jhulle hoo.

Ujarh giaan de bhet niaare,
Lal jawaahar rulle hoo.

Dhotiaan dagh na lainhnde,
jitthe Rang majeethee dullhe hoo.

–

My deep sighs have raised such a storm
That the restraining cords of shyness have snapped.

How long will the sickly flame of reason
Hold against the storm of yearning that rages in my heart?

Precious like rubies and diamonds in our own Home,
Now we live like destitute aliens-deserted and helpless.

Once you are dyed in the crimson of God’s love
The colour will never wash off,
For such is the hue of his love-deep and fast!

–

–

–

–

Hassan de ke rovan lioee,
Dittaa kis dilaasaa hoo.

Umar bande dee ainven gaee,
Jion paanee wich pataasaa hoo.

Saurhi saamee sutt ghatesan,
Palat na saksain paasaa hoo.

Saahib lekhaa mangsee Baahoo,
Rattee ghatt na maasaa hoo.

–

Banished from my home of bliss and happiness,
I was cast out to this vale of tears.
No one came to lend a hand; No one consoled my ailing heart.

Pointless was my existence:
I vanished from the scene Like a sugar cube tossed into the ocean!

Finally I was lowered into that narrow hole in the ground
Where I couldn’t even turn on my side.

To crown it all, O Bahu, the Lord now demands
The full settlement of my account-to that last farthing!

–

–

–

–

Hik jaagan, hik jaag na jaanan,
Hik jaagdiaan hee sutte hoo.

Hik suttian jaa waasil hoo,
Hik jaagdiaan hee mutthe hoo.

Keeh hoiaa je ghuggoo jaage,
Jo laindaa saah aputthe hoo.

Main qurbaan tinhaan ton Baahoo,
Jinh khooh prem de jutte hoo.

–

Some people are awake, Some don’t know how to wake up,
Some are awake only in their dreams.

A few get robbed in their seeming wakefulness,
While others merge in God as they sleep to the world.

Just as owls hoot using the in-breath,
So do some people repeat God’s name with the in-breath.
But they are blind to Reality, just as owls are to daylight.

I make myself a sacrifice to anyone, O Bahu,
Who toils hard at realizing God’s love.

–

–

–

–

Hik dam sajjan, lakh dam vairee,
Hik de maare marde hoo.

Hik dam pichhe janam gavaaiaa,
Chor bane ghar ghar de hoo.

Laaeeaan dee oh qadar keeh jaanan,
Maiharam ho na sirr de hoo.

Oh kion dhakke khaavan,
jehrhe Taalib sachche dar de hoo.

–

There is but one moment in your life that is a friend,
Against the millions that are your foes. *
That one moment is so charged with power That it surmounts
The effect of those millions of adversaries.

Anyone who misses that moment wastes his entire life,
Like a theif shifting from house to house.**

How can those who don’t know the mystery of God
Know the value of love?

If you anchor your hopes in your true Home,
You will never be driven from house to house.
*(The particular moment in the life of a seeker when he is initiated by a Master into the secrets of God. The foes are those moments that are spent in worldly pursuits that take one away from God)
**(From house to house’ is to shift from body to body in the cycle of transmigration)–

–

–

–

Hik hik peer ton aalam kooke,
Lakh aashiq peerh saherhee hoo.

Dhain, rurhhan jith khatree hove,
Kaun charhe us berhee hoo.

Aashiq naik salaahee charhde,
Taar kappar wich bherhee hoo.

Jith ishq tulendaa naal rattee de,
Aashiq lazzat nakherhee hoo.

–

People howl and cry over the slightest of discomforts,
While lovers gladly embrace a million torments.

Who would risk his life boarding a ship
If the waves were hitting it hard And the shore collapsing?

Lovers joyously board the ship of God’s love-
Even though their souls are pitched Against the vortices of life.

Unsurpassed is the joy of lovers in the court of the Lord,
Where love is weighed in the smallest measure, O Bahu!*
*(where every single moment devoted to the remembrance of God’s Name is credited to the soul’s account)

–

–

–

–

Hor dawaa na dil dee kaaree,
Kalmaa dil daa kaaree hoo.

Kalma door zangaar karendaa,
Kalme mail utaaree hoo.

Kalmaa heere, laal, jawaahar,
Kalmaa hatt pasaaree hoo.

Ethe othe doheen jahaaneen,
Kalmaa daulat saree hoo.

–

Kalma cures the ailment of the heart-
No other medicine works.

Kalma removes all rust from the mind;
Kalma washes all stains form the soul.

Kalma is more precious than diamonds and rubies.

Kalma is the alchemist’s shop, O Bahu;
Kalma is real wealth in this world and the next.

–

–

–

–

Hoo daa jaamaa paihan karaahaan,
Ism kamaavaan zaatee hoo.

Kufr Islaam, maqaam na manzil,
Na uth maut hayaatee hoo.

Shaah-rag theen nazdeek ladhose,
Paa androone jhaatee hoo.

Oh asaan wich, aseen unhaan wich,
Dorr rahee qurbaatee hoo.

–

Mystics live in this world as Hu personified;
They practise the Name that is the essence of God.

They live in Hu- Beyond religion,
Beyond belief and unbelief, Beyond life and death.

If you explore the path within yourself,
You will find God nearby, through the Royal Vein.

He now lives in me and I in him, O Bahu:
Not only distance from him But even nearness to him Has become irrelevant!

–

–

–

–

Yaar yagaanaa milsee taan je,
Sir dee baazee laaen hoo.

Ishq Allaah wich ho mastaanaa,
Hoo hoo sadaa alaaen hoo.

Naal tasawwur Ism Allaah de,
Dam noon qaid lagaaen hoo.

Zaate naal je zaat rale,
Tad Baahoo naam sahaaen hoo.

–

You will only meet the unrivalled Beloved
If you offer your head on the altar of his love.

Then, in an ecstasy of love,
You will repeat the Name of Hu constantly,

Devoting every breath of your life
In contemplation of him.

Only when your soul merges in the essence of the Lord
Will you deserve the name ‘Bahu’.

Unknown to me now are the mysteries of my Lord-
My origin I have all but forgotten!

The temptation to eat the forbidden fruit
Put the noose of destiny around my neck.

Once I sang like a nightingale in my Lord’s garden-
Trapped in this mortal cage, I now flutter with pain.

Discard love for everything else from your heart,
And pray only for his grace to call you back, O Bahu.

–

–

–

–

Godarheeaan wich laal jinhaan dee,
Raateen jaagon addheeaan hoo.

Sik maahee dee tikan na dendee,
Lokeen dende badeeaan hoo.

Andar meraa Haqq tapaaiaa,
Khaleeaan raateen kaddhiaan hoo.

Tan theen maas alaihdaa hoiaa,
Sookh jhulaare haddeeaan hoo.

–

People with rubies in their ragged bundles*
Wake up in the dead of night to meditate on Kalma.

Their intense longing to meet the Beloved Permits them no rest,
While the ignorant hurl abuse at them.

Many nights have I stood in prayer and supplication;
My heart burns in the fire of longing for the Lord.

My grief has soaked up my blood And shrivelled my loosened skin,
Making my bones rattle in this skeletal frame-
Such is the depth of my separation from the Beloved!
*(Rubies in a ragged bundle is an expression meaning a person outwardly poor but gifted with rich inner qualities. Rubies, in the present case, signifies Kalma within the ragged bundle of the body)

–

–

–

–

Gia eemaan ishqe de paaron,
Ho ke kaafir rahee-e hoo.

Ghat zunaaur kufar daa gal wich,
Buttkhaane wich bahee-e hoo.

Jis jaa jaanee nazar na aave,
Sajdaa mool na daee-e hoo.

Jaan kar jaanee nazar na aave,
Kalmaa mool na kahee-e hoo.

–

When love of God enters you heart,
Religion will fall by the wayside And you will be left in infidel.

You should then wear The sacred thread of idol worshipers
And live in the idol house [of your heart].

For futile is prostration Where the Beloved is not manifest;

Pointless the repitition of the Kalma
Where the Beloved is not seen face to face.

–

–

–

–

Laam-laahoo ghairee dhande,
Hik pal mool na raihnde hoo.

Ishq ne putte rukh jarhaan theen,
Hik dam haul na saihnde hoo.

Jehrhe patthar vaang paharaan,
Loon vaangoon gal vaihnde hoo.

Ishq je saukhaa hundaa Baahoo,
Sab aashiq ban baihnde hoo.

–

When you attach yourself to the Lord Alla’hu
All your worldly involvements are at once ended.

Love has pulled out huge trees of worldly attachment
By the root- Where before, even the worst storm Wouldn’t dislodge a leaf.

Love has dissolved huge rocks of carnal passion
As though they were salt.

Love is not child’s play, O Bahu!
If it were, everyone would have become a lover of God.

–

–

–

–

Laayuhtaaj jinhaan noon hoiaa,
Faqr jinhaan noon saaraa hoo.

Nazar jinhaan dee keemeeaa hove,
Oh kion maaran paaraa hoo.

Dost jinhaan daa haazir hove,
Dushman lain na vaaraa hoo.

Main qurbaan tinhaan ton, Baahoo,
Jinh miliaa nabee sahaaraa hoo.

–

Lovers who completely renounce the world
Become contented and free from want.

They need practise no alchemy,
For they can, with but one glance, Turn base metal into gold.

Their enemies have no chance against them-
Their Friend is always by their side.

I sacrifice myself to the one, O Bahu,
Who makes his Master the mainstay of his life.

–

–

–

–

Likhan sikhion likh na jaataa,
Kaaghaz keetaa zaaiaa hoo.

Katt qalam noon maar na haanen,
Kaatib naam dharaaiaa hoo.

Sabh islaah eh hosee khotee,
Jaan kaatib hath aaiaa hoo.

Sahee islaah tinhaan dee,
jinhaan Alif te meem pakaaiaa hoo.

–

You learned to write in a beautiful hand,
But what to write you didn’t learn-
The whole exercise was a waste of paper.

You call yourself a calligrapher
When you can’t even shape a writing pen!

When your script is examined by the real Scribe
All your efforts will prove to have been worthless.

Only when you repeatedly write Ali and Meem*
On the tablet of your heart, will you pass his test.
*Alif stands for Allah; meem (M) stands for Murshid (Master)

–

–

–

–

Lok qabar daa karsan chaaraa,
Laihad banaawan deraa hoo.

Chutkee bhar mittee dee paasan,
Karsan dher ucheraa hoo.

De darood gharaan noon vanjan,
Kookan sheraa sheraa hoo.

Wich dargaah na amlaan baajhon,
Baahoo hog naberha hoo.

–

Eventually your grave will be dug
And your body slid into the lahad.*

Your loved ones will throw handfuls of dust
And raise a mound of earth over you.

They will say the death-prayer for you soul’s benefit,
They go home wailing and weeping at your sad demise.

But even after death there is no relief from pain
Other than through good deeds done while living-
Which alone count in the court of the Lord, O Bahu.
*(A lahad is a side-extension at the bottom of a grave that provides room for the dead body. The grave is filled up with earth but the lahad remains hollow, providing ‘breathing space’ for the body)

–

–

–

–

Lohaa hoven piaa kuteeven,
Taan talwaar sadeeven hoo.

Kanghee caangoon piaa chireeven,
Zulf mahboob bhareeven hoo.

Mehndee vaangoon piaa ghuteeven,
Hath mahboob rangeeven hoo.

Vaang kapaah piaa pinjeeven,
Taan dastaar sadeeven hoo.

Aashiq saadiq hoven Baahoo,
Taan ras prem daa peeven hoo.

–

Like a piece of iron that is to be forged into a fine sword,
You must bear the Blacksmith’s unrelenting hammer blows,

Like a comb you must be finely sawn
Before you can caress the Beloved’s locks.

Like henna leaves you must be ground into powder
Before you can adorn the Beloved’s palms.*

Like cotton you must endure being carded
Before you are woven into a turban for his head.

You will only taste the nectar of divine love
When you become a true lover of God, O Bahu.
*(In india, women use a paste of powdered henna leaves to decorate the palms of their hands, sometimes even the soles of their feet, at their weddings and on various other festive occasions)–

–

–

–

Maal te jaan sab kharch karaahan,
Karee-e khreed faqeeree hoo.

Faqr kanoon Rabb haasil hove,
Kion keeje dilgeeree hoo.

Duneeaa kaaran deen vanjaavan,
Koorhee sheikhee peeree hoo.

Tark duneeaa theen Qaadir keetee,
Shaah Meeraan dee meeree hoo.

–

Sell everything you have-spare not your life,
And purchase the wealth of devotion to God.

Why carry the burdens of life on your soul
When, through devotion, you can merge in the Lord?

False prophets sell their souls to the world
And mislead seekers with a pretence of spiritual guidance.

Sheikh Qadir Jilani truly renounced the world;
He was indeed a king among mystics.

–

–

–

–

Mazhabaan de darwaaze uchche,
Raah Rabbaanaa moree hoo.

Pandit te mulvaane kolon,
Chhup chhup langhee-e choree hoo.

Addeeaan maaran, karn bakherhe,
Dardmandaan de khoree hoo.

Baahoo chal uthaaeen wasee-e,
Daahvaa na jith horee hoo.

–

Lofty are the portals of religion;
Hard to find is the narrow path that leads to God.

Walk along it unnoticed,
Stealing past the priests.

They protest, they obstruct,
They persecute people who really love God.

Let us go and live somewhere, Bahu,
Where no one but God holds supremacy.

–

–

–

–

Murshid oh saherhee-e jehrhaa,
Do jagg khushee wakhaave hoo.

Paihale gham turke daa mete,
Vat Rabb daa raah sujhaave hoo.

Kallar waalee kandhee non chaa,
Chaandee khaas banaave hoo.

Jis murshid ith kujh na keetaa,
Koorhe laare laave hoo.

–

You should only choose someone as your Master
Who bestows the blessings of both worlds on you.

First he will drive the wolf from your door,
Then reveal to you the path to God.

He will transform the barren ground of your heart
Into fertile soil, so the seed of God’s Name can grow.

If a Master has not accomplished this for you
In this very life, You can be sure he is feeding you false promises.

–

–

–

–

Murshid baajhon faqar kamaave,
Wich kufar de budde hoo.

Sheikh mushaaikh ho baihnde hujre,
Ghaus-qutab ban udde hoo.

Raat andhaaree mushkil paindaa,
Sai sai aavan thudde hoo.

Tasbeehaan napp baihan maseetee,
Jion moosh bahe varh khudde hoo.

–

If someone practises devotion without a Master,
He will drown himself in the mire of atheism.

He will drown himself up as a sheikh in a mosque
Or acquire other religious titles to boost his ego.

Little does the poor fellow realize That the night is dark,
the path steep, And the journey is plagued with untold pitfalls.

With a rosary in hand he may sit in his cell
Like a mouse, sticking his head out of his hole.

–

–

–

–

Murshid makkaa, taalib haajee,
Kaabaa ishq banaaiaa hoo.

Wich huzoor sadaa har wele,
Karee-e hajj savaaiaa hoo.

Hikk dam maithon judaa na hove,
Dil milne te aaiaa hoo.

Murshid ain hayaatee Baahoo,
Loon loon wich samaaiaa hoo.

–

The Master is the Mecca, his love the shrine of Ka’ba;
The disciple is a pilgrim set out on the holy voyage.

As for me, my pilgrimage is always complete-
For I am constantly in the presence of my Master.

He doesn’t part company with me even for a moment,
As my heart always yearns to see him.

My Master is to me my very life, O Bahu;
He has permeated every pore of my being.

–

–

–

–

Murshid hai shaahbaaz Ilaahee,
Raliaa sang habeebaan hoo.

Taqdeer Ilaahee chhikkeeaan doraan,
Milsee naal naseebaan hoo.

Kohrhiaan de dukh door karendaa,
Kare shafaa mareezaan hoo.

Har ik marz daa daaroo toon hain,
Ghatt na vass tabeebaan hoo.

–

My Master is a bird of paradise;
He only flies with his own kind.

Through great good fortunes you will have his vision-
If the Lord pulls the strings of destiny in your favor.

He cleanses the lepers of their leprosy;
He removes the deformities of the spiritually crippled.

You hold the panacea for all ills, my Master!
Pray, do not leave Bahu to the care of physicians.

–

–

–

–

Murshid mainoon hajj makke daa,
Raihmat daa darwaazaa hoo.

Karaan tawaaf davaale qible,
Hajj hove nit taazaa hoo.

Kun faikoon jadokaa suniaa,
Dittha oh darwaazaa hoo.

Murshid sadaa hayaatee waalaa,
Oho Khizr te Khwaajaa hoo.

–

A visit to my Master is, for me,
Like a devout Muslim’s pilgrimage to Mecca.
My master is indeed the gateway to God’s mercy.

Like a pilgrim circling the shrine of Ka’ba,
My life revolves around my Master-
Thus is my pilgrimage ever renewed;
This is my love ever rejuvenated.

Ever since the Lord ordained the Creation,
Ever since I last saw that gateway to his court,

My Master has lived forever, Bahu-
As the Khizr who has conquered death,
As the Creator who lives in human form.

–

–

–

–

Murshid vaang suniaare hove,
Ghat kuthaalee gaale hoo.

Paa kuthaalee baahar kaddhe,
Bunde gharhe yaa vaale hoo.

Kanneen khoobaan tadon suhaavan,
Jad khatte paa ujaale hoo.

Naam faqeer tise daa,
jehrhaa Dam dam dost sambhaale hoo.

–

Just as a goldsmith melts gold And purifies it in his crucible,
The Master melts and purifies the disciple’s soul.

To mould it into beautiful ornaments-
Be they studs or earrings.

Only after they have been sculpted and polished
Are they considered fit to adorn the Beloved’s ears.

Only the one who enshrines the Friend in his heart,
And remembers him with every breath Deserves the name ‘faqir’, O Bahu.

–

–

–

–

Murshid wasse sai kohaan te,
Mainoon disse nerhe hoo.

Keeh hoiaa butt ohle hoiaa,
Wasse oh wich mere hoo.

Alif dee zaat sahee jis keetee,
Rakkhe qadam agere hoo.

Nahun aqrab labh leeose,
Jhagrhe kul naberhe hoo.

–

A thousand miles away is my Master’s abode,
But I always see him nearby.

It’s of little consequence if he’s physically out of sight;
My heart is his real home.

Whoever realizes the oneness of God
Will always progress on his spiritual journey-

He finds the Lord nearby, through the Royal Vain;
He puts an end to the problems of life forever.

The leaders of religion can never reach the stage
To which the lovers of God have easy access.

Lovers are always united with the Beloved;
They abide in realms beyond time and space,

I shall sacrifice myself to anyone, O Bahu,
Whose spirit rests in its own Essence.

–

–

–

–

Fajreen wele uth savele,
Aan karan mazdooree hoo.

Kaanvaan illaan hiksee gallaan,
Treejee ralee chandooree hoo.

Maaran cheekhaan karan mushaqqat,
Put put kadh angooree hoo.

Saaree umar pitendiaan guzree,
Kadee na paeeaa pooree hoo.

–

They rise early; they get to their work fast:

Like crows and vultures they create a racket-
Reading their sermons like the mimicking chandoor.*

They spend their lives like this-
Talking gibberish, shooting prayers into the air

And distorting the message of the scriptures-
Because their hearts are never moved by God’s love.
*
(Chandoor or chandol is a mimicking bird. It imitates sounds, including spoken words – obviously without knowing their meaning, in much the same manner as priests recite and quote the words of Saints without realizing their underlying message)

–

–

–

–

Qalb na hilliaa taan keeh hoiaa,
Hoiaa zikr zabaanee hoo.

Qalbee, roohee, makhfee, sirree,
Sabhe raah hairaanee hoo.

Shaah rag ton nazdeek ho raihndaa,
Yaar na miliaa jaanee hoo.

Naam faqeer tinhaan da,
jehrhe Wasde laamakaanee hoo.

–

If only done with your tongue and not your heart,
The repetition of God’s Name is in vain.

Using the various kings of zikr*-with the heart, the soul,
And other secret methods-only leads to confusion.

These methods give no clue of the Beloved
Who is nearby and only to be found through the Royal Vein.

Only the one whose spirit abides in realms beyond space
Deserves to be called faqir, O Bahu.
*(At the highest level, Sufi mystics used the term zikr for the inner remembrance or simran. The term was also used for many kinds of repetition practices pertaining to the lower centers of the body and lower spiritual regions)–

–

–

–

Kaamil murshid aisaa howe,
Jo dhobee vaangoon chhatte hoo.

Naal nigaah de paak kare,
Na sajjee saaban ghatte hoo.

Maile noon kar dendaa chittaa,
Zarraa mail na rakkhe hoo.

Aisaa murshid hove,
jehrhaa Loon loon de wich vasse hoo.

–

A perfect Master scrubs his disciples
As a washer-man rubs and beats dirt out of clothes.

But unlike the washerman who needs soap,
The Master purifies with his glance,

Removing all traces of dirt from the disciple’s soul.

Let the one who can permeate every pore of my being Be my Master, O Bahu!

–

–

–

–

Kalme dee kal tad piose,
Jad kal kalme vanj kholee hoo.

Kalmaa aashik parhhde,
jithe Noor nabee dee holee hoo.

Chaudaan tabq kalme de andar,
Keeh jaane khalqat bholee hoo.

Kalmaa saanoon peer parhhaaiaa,
Jind ose ton gholee hoo.

–

You will only know the marvel of Kalma
When it has opened the window of your heart.

Lovers practise Kalma within their hearts,
Lit by the Master’s radiance.

All fourteen realms are within the Kalma-
How can the uninitiated comprehend this secret?

As for me, my Master initiated me into the Kalma.
Since then I have dedicated my soul only to him.

–

–

–

–

Kalme dee kal tadaan paee,
Jad murshid kalmaa dassiaa hoo.

Saaree umar kufr wich jaalee,
Bin murshid de dassiaan hoo.

Shah Alee Sher-Allaah waangan,
Vaddh kufr noon suttiaa hoo.

Dil saafee taan hove je kar,
Kalmaa loon loon rasiaa hoo.

–

Only when my Master initiated me into the Kalma
Did I truly understand its meaning.

Only then did it dawn on me.
That I had wasted my earlier life as a non-believer.

But now, in the manner of Hazrat Ali, the lion of God,
Kalma has slain the demon of my non-belief.

Only when the Kalma has saturated every pore of your being
Will your heart be purified, O Bahu.

–

–

–

–

Kalme lakkh karorhan taare,
Walee keete sai raaheen hoo.

Kalme naal bujhaae dozakh,
Jith agg bale azgaaheen hoo.

Kalme naal bahishteen jaanaa,
Jith niaamat sanjh subaaheen hoo.

Kalme jehee na niaamat Baahoo,
Andar doheen saraaeen hoo.

–

The Kalma has ferried millions across the ocean.
In countless ways has it transformed Ordinary mortals into Saints.

Through Kalma is pacified the raging fire of hell;

Through Kalma is attained heaven,
The realm of everlasting bliss.

There is no treasure like Kalma, O Bahu,
In this world and the next.

–

–

–

–

Kalme naal main nhaatee dhotee,
Kalme naal viaahee hoo.

Kalmaa meraa parhe janaazaa,
Kalme gor suhaaee hoo.

Kalme naal bahishteen jaanaa,
Kalmaa kare safaaee hoo.

Murhan muhaal tinhaan noo jinhaan,
Saahib aap bulaaee hoo.

–

In the nectar of Kalma I bathed and purified myself;
To the Kalma I was joined in marriage.

It was Kalma that, in the end, performed my last rites.
It was Kalma that adorned my grave.

With the Kalma I will go to heaven;
Through the Kalma I will be cleansed of my sins.

Those who are called by the Lord himself
Find it hard to turn their backs on Kalma.

–

–

–

–

Kund zulmaat andher ghubaaraan,
Raah nen khauf khatar de hoo.

Aab hayaat munawwar chashme,
Saaye zulf ambar de hoo.

Mukh mahboob daa khaanaa kaabaa,
Aashiq sajdaa karde hoo.

Misal Sikandar dhoondan aashiq,
Palak aaraam na karde hoo.

Khizr naseeb jinhaan de Baahoo,
Ghutt othe jaa bharde hoo.

–

Utter dark and fearsome is the path,
Leading to the shining pool of the water of life-

Like the Beloved’s radiant face,
Hidden under his locks, dark and fragrant.

The Master’s face is the holy Ka’ba,
To which lovers prostrate themselves in obeisance.

As Alexander sought the water of life in the world,
So lovers relentlessly search for this nectar within.

But only fortunate souls
Blessed with a Master’s guidance Drink from that pool of nectar.

–

–

–

–

Kun faikoon jadon farmaaiaa,
Asaan vi kole haase hoo.

Hikke zaat sifaat Rabbe dee,
Hikke jag dhundiaase hoo.

Hikke laamakaan asaadaa,
Hikke butt wich phaase hoo.

Nafs shaitaan paleetee keetee,
Asal paleet taan naase hoo.

–

When God ordained the Creation,
we were with him;

We possessed his qualities, we were of his essence.
Separated, now we wander around searching for him.

Once we lived in the realm of pure spirit;
Trapped in physical bodies we now cry in pain.

We were unsullied in our native state-
It was our satanic ego that defiled us all, O Bahu.

–

–

–

–

Kook dilaa mat Rabb sune chaa,
Dardmandaan diaan aaheen hoo.

Seenaa meraa dardeen bhariaa,
Andar bharhkan bhaaheen hoo.

Telaan baajh na balan masaalaan,
Dardaan baajh na aaheen hoo.

Aatish naal yaraane laa ke,
Bhambat sarhan keeh naaheen hoo.

–

Cry, my heart – perhaps the Lord wil hear
The cries of a lover in torment!

My heart burns, filled with grief
And with the pain of separation.

No more can a heart sigh without grief
Than a torch burn without oil.

If, like a moth, you make friends with fire,
Like a moth, O Bahu, you must perish in its flames.

–

–

–

–

Keeh hoiaa butt door giaa,
Dil hargiz door na theeve hoo.

Sai kohaan te wasdaa murshid,
Wich huzoor diseeve hoo.

Jainde andar ishq dee rattee,
Bin sharaabon kheeve hoo.

Naam faqeer tinhaan daa Baahoo,
Qabr jinhaan dee jeeve hoo.

–

It matters little if I am physically a long way off-
My Master is never far from my heart.

He may have gone a thousand miles away to live-
I always find him present in my heart.

Those who have even an iota of love in their hearts
Remain intoxicated with the wine of that love- They need no other wine.

Only they may be called faqirs, O Bahu,
Whose very graves breathe Life.

The heart that has not purchased love
In the marketplace of life, O Bahu,
Will go empty-handed-in this world and the next.

–

–

–

–

Aashiq parhn namaaz piram dee,
Jain wich harf na koee hoo.

Jehaa kehaa neet na sakke,
Uth dardmand dil dhoee hoo.

Akheen neer te khoon jigar daa,
Wuzoo paak keetoee hoo.

Jeebh na hille, honth na pharhkan,

Khaas namaazee soee hoo.

–

A lover offers his prayer in an unspoken language.

It is not for everyone-
Only the aching heart of a lover can know this prayer.

He purifies himself by doing his wuzoo
With tears from his eyes, blood from his heart.

Only a rare devotee knows the prayer for which
The tongue does not move, lips do not flutter.

–

–

–

–

Aashiqa hik wuzoo jo keetaa,
Roz qiaamat taaeen hoo.

Wich namaaz raku sajoode,
Raihande sanjh sabaaheen hoo.

Ethe othe doheen jahaaneen,
Sabh faqar deeaan jaaeen hoo.

Arshaan ton sai manzil agge,
Paindaa kam tinhaaeen hoo.

–

A lover purifies himself just once-with Kalma;
His wuzoo will hold till the day of judgement.

Day and night he prostrates himself
And keeps his head bowed in supplication.

The faqirs are at home in this world and the next,

But a thousand stages beyond paradise Lies their real Home!

–

–

–

–

Aashiq raaz maahee de kolon,
Hon kadee na theevan vaande hoo.

Neend haraam tinhaan te,
jehrhe Zaatee Ism kamaande hoo.

Hik pal mool aaraam na aae,
Raat dine kurlaande hoo.

Jinhaan alif sahee kar parhiaa,
Waah naseeb tinhaan de hoo.

–

Lovers are always engaged
In inner contemplation of the Beloved.

They even deny themselves their nightly sleep-
So absorbed are they In their practise of God’s real Mane.

They are restless day and night;
They cry in the pain of their separation from God.

Bahu hails the good fortune of those devotees
Who rightly devote themselves To the lesson of Oneness.

–

–

–

–

Aashiq soee haqeeqee jehrhaa,
Qatal maashooq de manne hoo.

Ishq na chhorhe, mukh na morhe,
Pae talvaaraan khanne hoo.

Jit wal wekhe raaz maahee daa,
Lagge ose banne hoo.

Sachchaa ishq Hussain Ali daa,
sir dae raaz na bhanne hoo.

–

A real lover is one who bows his head
Before the Beloved’s sword.

He will never forsake his love,
Never turn his back on the Beloved-
Even if he were cut into pieces with the sword of love.

He will put his heart and soul into his endeavour
To find a clue to the Beloved’s secrets.

The love of Hussain and Ali was true, O Bahu.
They sacrificed their lives,
But not their love for God and the Prophet.

–

–

–

–

Aashiq Shauh de dil kharhaaiaa,
Aap bhee naale kharhiaa hoo.

Kharhiaa kharhiaa valiaa naheen,
Sang mahboobaan raliaa hoo.

Aql fikr deeaan sab bhull gaeeaan,
Ishqe naal jaan miliaa hoo.

Main qurbaan tinhaan theen,
jain wich Ishq javaanee charhiaa hoo.

–

A lover lost his heart to the Beloved;
And with his heart lose, he himself was lost.

Being lost, he never turned back,
But ventured onward to join the Beloved.

In his love he merged in the Beloved,
And his reason and intellect were all but forsaken.

I make myself a sacrifice to anyone in whose heart
Love has so blossomed, O Bahu!

–

–

–

–

Aashiq ishq maahee de kolon,
Phiran hameshaa kheeve hoo.

Jeende jaan maahee noon dittee,
Doheen jahaaneen jeeve hoo.

Shamaa chiraagh jinhaan dil roshan,
Oh kion baalan deeve hoo.

Aqal fikr dee pahunch na othe,
Faanee faiham kacheeve hoo.

–

Lovers remain completey intoxicated
In the ecstasy of their love for the Beloved.

They offer their souls to the Beloved while still living
And thus immortalize themselves In this life and the hereafter.

Why should anyone Whose heart shines with the light of God
Burn candles in temples?

Grossly limited are reason and intellect, O Bahu!
They have no access to the realm of love.

–

–

–

–

Aashiq nek salaaheen lagde,
Kion ujaarhde ghar noon hoo.

Baal mavaataa birhoon daa,
Na laande jaan jigar noon hoo.

Jaan jahaan sab bhull gio ne,
Luttee hosh sabar noon hoo.

Main qurbaan tinhaan ton,
jinhaan Khoon ditta dilbar noon hoo.

–

Had these lovers heeded the good advise of the world,
They would not have deserted their homes.*

They would not have burnt their hearts and souls
In the fire of longing for the Beloved.
They are oblivious of both themselves and the world.

Their love for the Lord has robbed them
Of their patience and their awareness of themselves.

I make myself a sacrifice to anyone
Who has surrendered his life for the Beloved, O Bahu.
*(Deserting the home: Withdrawing at will the life consciousness from the physical body)

–

–

–

–

Aashiq ho te ishq kamaawe,
Dil rakkheen vaang pahaarhaan hoo.

Sai sai badeeaan, lakh ulaahme,
Jaaneen baagh bahaaraan hoo.

Chaa soolee Mansoor dittaa,
Jo waaqif kul asraaraan hoo.

Sajdoin sir na chaaee-e Bahoo,
Kaafir kaihan hazaaraan hoo.

–

Become a lover,
and let your heart be like a rock.

If people hurl abuse at you,
consider it as a blessing.

Even Mansur, who knew all the secrets of God,
Was sent to the gallows.

Once you have bowed you head in prayer,
Do not lift it again, O Bahu,
Although the multitude may brand you an infidel.*
*(The Muslim prayer, namaaz is offered in verying postures like standing, bowing, kneeling, in a given sequence, as directed by the prayer leader. But once a lover has bowed his head in prayer, he forgets his surroundings, even his own body. ‘The faithful’ brand him infidel because he does not join them in their set pattern of ritual prayer)–

–

–

–

Ishq asaanoon lissiaan jaataa,
Baithaa maar pathalla hoo.

Wich jigar de sanh chaa laaeeas,
Keetas kam avallaa hoo.

Jaan andar varh jhaatee paaeeas,
Ditthaa yaar ikallaa hoo.

Bajhon murshid kaamil Baahoo,
Hondi naheen tasallaa hoo.

–

Considering me a weakling,
Love has settled itself like a squatter in my heart.

It has forced its way in through a secret opening-
What an act of daring trespass!

When I went within myself to investigate,
I found my Love sitting alone-waiting!

Without my perfect Master, O Bahu,
None can ever realize the goal of life.

–

–

–

–

Ishq asaanoon lissiaan jaataa,
Karke aave dhaaee hoo.

Jit val wekhaan ishq diseeve,
Khaalee haa na kaaee hoo.

Murshid kaamil oh miliaa,
Jis dil dee taakee laahee hoo.

Main qurban us murshid ton,
Jis dassiaa bhet Ilaahee hoo.

–

Love considers me a weakling;
Unrelenting, it charges at my heart.

Overwhelmed by its onslaughts,
I see nothing but love wherever I look;
I can find no place that is bereft of love.

I was blessed to meet a perfect Master
Who opened the sealed window of my heart.

I make myself a sacrifice to the Master, O Bahu,
Who has revealed to me the secret of God.

Love has touched the hearts Of the rich and the poor alike;
How can an outsider-who had never tasted love-
Realize its bliss and splendour?

–

–

–

–

Ishq dee bhaah haddaan daa baalan,
Aashiq baih sikende hoo.

Ghatt ke jaan jigar wich aaraa,
Wekh kabaab talende hoo.

Sargardaan phiran har wele,
Khoon jigar daa peende hoo.

Hoe hazaaraan aashiq Baahoo,
Ishq naseeb kaheende hoo.

–

Lovers warm themselves On the fire of love in their hearts-
Ignited and def with the fuel of their bones.

They carve out the flesh of their hearts
And roast it on this fire.

Distraught in love, they wander listlessly,
Quenching their thirst with their own blood.

Thousands have claimed to be lovers, O Bahu;
Rare is the one who is blessed with true love!

–

–

–

–

Ishq dee gall avallee jehrhaa,
Sharaa theen door hataave hoo.

Qaazee shhorhe qazaaee jaan,
Jad ishq tamaachaa laave hoo.

Lok ayaane matteen devan,
Aashiq mat na bhaave hoo.

Murhn muhaal tinhaan noon jinhaan,
Saahib aap bulaave hoo.

–

Curios are the ways of love-
It weans you away from religion.

When smitten by love,
Even priests would forsake their priesthood.

The ignorant preach against love,
But lovers shun their advise.

Those who are called by God himself,
Find it onerous to return to worldly life.

–

–

–

–

Ishq samundar charh giaa falkeen,
Kit jahaaz kacheeve hoo.

Aqal fikr dee daundee noon,
chaa Paihale poor boorheeve hoo.

Karhkhan kappar paun laiharaan,
Jad wahadat wich varheeve hoo.

Jis marne theen khalqat dardee,
Aashiq marke jeeve hoo.

–

Waves on the ocean of love rise to the skies;
Even large and sturdy ships cannot survive.

The fragile boat of intellect and reason Has little chance.

It will sink in its first attempt to cross
Because fierce whirlpools roar, deadly waves crash,
When a ship prepares to enter the port of Unity.

The death that strikes terror in people’s minds
Brings joy to a lover’s heart:
In death he finds everlasting life.

–

–

–

–

Ishq maahee de laaeeaan aggeen,
Laggee kaun bujhaave hoo.

Main keeh jaanaan zaat ishq,
jo Dar dar chaa jhukaave hoo.

Na saunven na sauvan deve,
Suttiaan aan jagaave hoo.

Main qurbaan haan usde jehrha,
Vichhrhe yaar milaave hoo.

–

My heart is ablaze with the fire of love.
Who will quench the flames?

How was I to know what this love was like?
It has made me bow my head at every doorstep.

It is always awake, and it always keeps me awake;
It doesn’t allow me a wink of sleep.

O Bahu, I sacrifice myself to anyone,
Who will reunite me with my long-separated Friend.

–

–

–

–

Ishq muazzin dittiaan baangaan,
Kanneen sad peeose hoo.

Khoon jigar daa kadh karaahaan,
Wuzoo paakh sezeeose hoo.

Sun taqbeer fanai walee,
Murhan muhaal theeose hoo.

Parh takbeer theeose waasil,
Taaheen shukr keetose hoo.

–

When love gave the call to prayer,
My heart responded:

I purified myself-I performed my wuzoo*
With the blood of my heart!

When the cry “God is great” inspired me
To merge in that great Lord,
I found my heart unwilling to turn back.

When I myself proclaimed Allah’s greatness,
I merged in him and thanked him
For relieving me of my long suffering.
*(Wuzoo refers to the Muslim practise of cleaning oneself by washing on’es face, hands and feet with water before namaaz, the ritual prayer)

–

–

–

–

Aqal fikar dee jaa na kaaee,
Jit wahadat sirr subhaanee hoo.

Na uth mullaan pandit joshee,
Na uth ilm Quraanee hoo.

Jad Aihmad aihad wikhaalee dittaa,
Taan kul hove faanee hoo.

Ilm tamaam keetone haasil,
Thapp kitaab asmaanee hoo.

–

Intellect and wisdom find no foothold
Where the secrets of unity in God are revealed.

Priests are no help there
Nor is any knowledge of the scriptures.

You can only merge your self in the
Absolute When the Master reveals the divine secret.

You can only acquire ultimate knowledge of God
After you put away the scriptures.

–

–

–

–

Ilmon baajh je faqar kamaave,
Kaafir mare deewaanaa hoo.

Sai variaan dee kare ibaadat,
Allaah theen begaanaa hoo.

Ghaflat theen na khulsan parde,
Dil jaahil butkhaanaa hoo.

Main qurbaan tinhaan ton,
jinhaan Miliaa yaar yagaanaa hoo.

–

If you meditate on God without guidance,
You wll die faithless and lost.

Even if you worship like this for hundreds of years,
You would still be unfamiliar with God.

The veil will not be lifted without knowledge of the Way-
The heart will stay dark like a house of idols.

I sacrifice myself to anyone, O Bahu,
Who has found the Master without peer.

In it appear whirlpools, in it blow fierce gales
Of the countless thoughts and arguments
That hamper my contemplation of the Lord.

I am in an alien land, where I find no support.
To add to my woes, I have fallen in love!

My lack of maturity, my inexperiance,
Aggravate my plight, and yet- Ever since I tasted love, O Bahu,
I have lost all taste For worldly play and merry-making.

–

–

–

–

Dil dariaa samundron doonghaa,
Ghotaa maar ghavaasee hoo.

Jain dariaa vanj nosh na keetaa,
Raihsee jaan piaasee hoo.

Hardam naal Allaah de rakkhan,
Zikr fikr de aasee hoo.

Us murshid theen zan behtar,
Baahoo, jo phand fareb libaasee hoo

–

The heart is deeper than the ocean;
Dive deep into it, O seeker, and explore!

Drink the water of life from this ocean,
Or your soul will always remain thristy.

Those who contemplate on the Lord,
Devoting every breath of their lives
To his remembrance, Will always keep him in their hearts.

The company of a seductress is less corrupting
Than that of an ignorant teacher
Who deceives in the grab of piety, O Bahu!

–

–

–

–

Dil dariaa samundron doonghe,
Kaun dilaan dee jane hoo

Wiche berhe, wiche jherhe,
Wiche vanjh muhaane hoo

Chaudaan tabq dile de andar,
Tamboo vaangan taane hoo

Joee dil daa maihram hove,
Soee Rabb pachhaane hoo

–

English translation of Kalam-e-Bahu

The heart is deeper than the ocean –
Who can fathom its mysteries?

Storms come and go on its surface,
While fleets sail through it,
Their crews wielding their oars.

Inside the heart are the fourteen realms,
Stretched like canvas tents.

Only the on who knows These deeper secrets of the heart
Can know the Creator, O Bahu!

–

–

–

–

Dil kaale ton moonh kaalaa changaa,
Je koee usnoon jaane hoo.

Moonh kaalaa dil achhaa hove,
Taan dil yaar pachhaane hoo.

Eh dil yaar de pichhe hoe,
Taan yaar vee kadee pachhaane hoo.

Aalim chhorh maseetaan natthe,
Jad lagge dil tikaane hoo.

–

Black skin is better than a black heart-
Just think about it.

Though the face is black, let the heart be pure,
For it is the heart that identifies with the Friend.

The heart that constantly pursues the Beloved Will,
in time, receive the nod of recognition.

The scholars flee their mosques, O Bahu,
When their hearts are touched by God’s love.

–

–

–

–

Daal-daleelaan chhorh wajoodon,
Ho hushiaar faqeera hoo.

Banh tawakkul panchhi udde,
Palle kharche na zeeraa hoo.

Rozee roz udd khaan hameshaa,
Karde na zakheeraa hoo.

Maulaa rizq puchaave Baahoo,
Jo patthar wich keerha hoo.

–

Give up all procrastination
And awake your soul, O dervish!

Have faith in your Lord, like the birds
That fly through the air without carrying their food.

When they are hungry they fly in search of nourishment-
They don’t store provisions.

The Lord provides food
Even the insect that lives in the depths of a rock crevice.

–

–

–

–

Duneeaa dhoondan waale kutte,
Dar dar phiran hairaanee hoo.

Haddee utte horh tinhaan dee,
Larhdiaan umar vinhaanee hoo.

Aqal de kotaah samjh na jaanan,
Peevan lorhan paanee hoo.

Bajhon zikr Rabbe de Baahoo,
Koorhee Raam kahaanee hoo.

–

People who seek the world are like dogs –
In its pursuit they shift from house to house.*

Greedily they pounce on bones –
They have wasted their lives Fighting over worldly things.

Devoid of good sense, foolish in their ways,
They cannot understand that what they really need
Is the water of life-to satisfy all hunger, all thirst.

Without remembrance of God’s Name, O Bahu,
One stays caught in this false drama of life.
*(To “shift from house to house” is to shift from body to body in the cycle of transmigration).–

–

–

–

Duneeaa ghar munaafiq de,
Yaa ghar kaafir de sohndee hoo.

Naqsh nigaar kare bahutere,
Zan khoobaan sabh mohndee hoo.

Bijlee vaang kare lishkaare,
Sir de utton jhondee hoo.

Hazrat Eesaa(AS) dee sil caangoon,
Vaindiaan raah kuhendee hoo.

–

This world-the great seductress-
Best suits the home of an infidel or an athiest.

She adorns herself with cunning
And uses her coquettish charm to entice one and all.

She swings her body with the speed of lightening;
She wraps her lustful arms around people.

She kills those who woo her, Like the golden brick
that destroyed its claimants-* But she belongs to no one.
*(The golden brick refers to a story handed down from the times of Jesus: Three men traveling through the forest found a brick of gold. They were filled with joy and decided to distribute the brick among themselves in equal parts. After traveling some distance they stopped to rest for the night. One of them was sent to bring some food from a nearby market. He decided to kill the other two and put poison in their food so he would be the sole owner of the golden brick. Meanwhile, the other two conspired to kill the man who had gone to get food and to divide the brick in two equal parts. When the man with the food came, the other two killed him. And when the two ate the food, they died of the poison in it. Thus they killed one another for the gold that, in the end, belonged to no one).–

–

–

–

Dudh, daheen te har koee rirhke,
Aashiq bhaa rirhkende hoo.

Tan chatoraa, man madhaanee,
Aaheen naal hilende hoo.

Dukh netraa kaddhe lishkaare,
Gham daa paanee peende hoo.

Naam faqeer tinhaan daa Baahoo,
Haddon makkhan kadhende hoo.

–

Everyone churns cream to get butter,
But a lover churns the fire of love in his heart!

Propelled by his sighs, the churning-stick of the mind
Rotates in the vessel of his body.

The rope of pain turns the blades that create sparks,
As the water of grief is added to cool the contents.

Only someone who churns his bones
To produce the Essence Deserves to be called a faqir, O Bahu!

–

–

–

–

Deen te duneeaa sakkeeaan bhainaan,
Aqal naheen samjhendaa hoo.

Doven ikk nikaah wich aavan,
Sharaa naheen farmendaa hoo.

Jiven agg te paanee thaan ik,
Vaasaa naheen karendaa hoo.

Doheen jahaaneen mutthaa,
Jehrhaa Daavaa koorh karendaa hoo.

–

Spiritual and worldy life are twin sisters,
So alike that not even the best of minds Can tell them apart.

Not only are they mutually antagonistic,
They are also wedded to the same individual.

But it is against the law of religion
To be married to them both at the same time-
Which is no less odd Than trying to hold fire and water together!

One who claims to espouse both God and mammon
Will be condemned in this world and the next.

–

–

–

–

Zaate naal na zaatee raliaa,
So kamzaat sadeeve hoo.

Nafs kutte noon banh karaahaan,
Qeemaa qeem kacheeve hoo.

Zaat sifaaton mehna aave,
Zaatee shauq napeeve hoo.

Naam faqeer tinhaan daa Baahoo,
Qabar jinhaan dee jeeve hoo.

–

One who has not merged his soul in its Essence
Is love in caste.

The dog of ego should be kept on its leash;
Indeed, it should be minced into small pieces.

The soul is admonished by the Lord
For procrastinating while on this earth,
And subduing her natural urge to be with Him.

Only they may be called faqirs, O Bahu,
Whose very graves breathe Life.

–

–

–

–

Zikr fikar sab ure urere,
Jaan jaan fidaa na faanee hoo.

Fidaa faanee tinhaan noon haasil,
Jo wassan laamkaanee hoo.

Fidaa faanee han ohee jinhaan,
Chakhee ishq dee kaanee hoo.

Doe jahaan tinhaan de mutthe,
Yaar na miliaa jaanee hoo.

–

Unless the self is sacrificed and lost in God’s love,
Repitition and contemplation will not achieve the goal.

Only dwellers of realms beyond time and space
Can lose themselves in God’s love.

Only someone whose heart is pierced By the arrows of his love
Can sacrifice his self and merge in God.

Anyone who fails to find the beloved Friend
Will remain bereft of love in both worlds, O Bahu.

–

–

–

–

Zikr kanoon kar fikr hameshaa,
Eh tikhaa talwaaron hoo.

Kaddhan aaheen, jaan jalaavan,
Fikr karan israaron hoo.

Zaakir so jo fikr kamaavan,
Pal na faarigh yaaron hoo.

Fikr daa phattiaa hoee na jeeve,
Putte mudh chaa paarhon hoo.

Haqq daa kalmaa aakheen Baahoo,
Bacheen fikr dee maaron hoo.

–

Repeat the Name of God, and always contemplate on him,
While doing your repitition- Keener than a sword is such remembrance.

You must sigh with grief and burn your heart in love,
Before you can practise the Name And resolve themystery of life.

Only id you contemplate on the Beloved
And do not, even for a moment, take your mind off him,
Will you truly remember.

Struck by such contemplation,
No one can really live for the world-
It digs out worldly attachment by the root.

Repeat the Word of God, O Bahu,
And free yourself from the worries of life.

–

–

–

–

Raat haneree kaalee de wich,
Ishq chiraagh jalaandaa hoo.

Jaindee sik ton dil chaa neeve,
So aawaaz sunaandaa hoo.

Aujharh jhall te maaroo bele,
Dam dam khauf sheehaan daa hoo.

Jal thal jangal gae jhagende,
Kaamil nenh jinhaan daa hoo.

–

In the dark fathomless night of ignorance,
Love is a torch that brings light.

From it emanates a Meoldy That enraptures lovers’ hearts!

On the path of love are forests, oceans And wastelands,
with a constant threat of lions.

Anyone who cherishes perfect love in his heart,
Can cross these forests, oceans and wastelands Without fear.

–

–

–

–

Raateen rattee neend na aave,
Deehaan rahe hairaanee hoo.

Aarif dee gal aarif jaane,
Kiaa jaane nafsaanee hoo.

Kar ibaadat pachhotaasen,
Zaaiaa gaee javaanee hoo.

Haqq huzoor unhaan noon haasil,
Jinh miliaa peer Jilaanee hoo.

–

I pass my nights without a wink of sleep;
In confusion I pass my days.

Only a man of God would know a man of God-
What can a slave of the mind and senses know of him?

If you don’t meditate on God; you will repent
That your youth was spent in vain persuits.

Those who found their Master in Shah Jilani
Will gain admittance to the Lord’s court.

–

–

–

–

Raateen nain rat hanjhoo rovan,
Deehaan ghamzaa gham daa hoo.

Parhh tauheed giaa tan andar,
Sukh aaraam na samdaa hoo.

Sir soolee te chaa tangio nen,
Eho raaz piram daa hoo.

Siddhaa ho koheevee-e Baahoo,
Qatraa rahe na gham daa hoo.

–

In my devotion to the One,
My consciousness has centred in my body;

Now I neither rest nor sleep.

All night I shed in tears of longing,
All day I cry in the pain of separation!

O Bahu, the secret of love is
That you sacrifice your life at the altar of God
Without a second thought And rid yourself of the last traces of grief.

–

–

–

–

Raah faqar daa pare parere,
Orhak koee na disse hoo.

Na uth parhhan parhhaavan koee,
Na uth masle qisse hoo.

Eh duneeaa hai butt-parastee,
Mat koee is te visse hoo.

Maut faqeeree jain sir aave,
Maalam theeve tisse hoo.

–

The path of the Masters is the highest of all;
It is beyond all comprehension!

On this path there is neither teaching Nor learning from books.
There are neither discussions nor expositions
Nor stories from the past.

Love of this world is sheer idolatry, a denial of God;
Let no one trust its loyalty.

Only the one who knows the mystic art Of dying while living,
knows the real secret.

What the heart desires it does not find;
Far distant remains its fulfillment:

The Friend does not dispense the balm for my heart;
The heart suffers but love does not accede,

While in the arena of love, rages the fire of longing!

I sacrifice myself to anyone, O Bahu, who,
Having once stepped on to the path of love, Always moves ahead.

–

–

–

–

Jo dam ghaafil so dam kaafir,
Murshid eh parhhaaiaa hoo.

Suniaa sukhan gaeeaan khul akheen,
Chit maulaa wal laaiaa hoo.

Keetee jaan havaale Rabb de,
Aisaa ishq kamaaiaa hoo.

Maran ton agge mar gae Baahoo,
Taan matalab noon paaiaa hoo.

–

My Master taught me a lesson:
“Any moment you are negligent in remembrance of God is a moment spent in denial of God.”

These words opened my eyes to reality,
And I fixed my attention on the Lord.

I then placed my soul in his protection-
Such was the love I cultivated in my heart.

Having thus bequeathed my soul to him,
I died before death – to live in him. Only then did I attain the goal of life, O Bahu!

–

–

–

–

Je toon chaahen wahadat Rabb dee,
Mal murshid deeaan taleeaan hoo.

Murshid lutfon kare nazaaraa,
Gul theevan sab kaleeaan hoo.

Inhaan wich hik laalaa hosee,
Gul naazuk kul phaleeaan hoo.

Doheen jahaneen multthe,
jinhaan Sang keetaa do daleeaan hoo.

–

If you desire to attain the oneness of God,
Submit yourself at the Master’s feet.

When the Master casts his merciful glance on you,
The buds of mystery will unfold Into the blossoms of revelation.

Among them will be the scarlet poppy*
In whose delicate petals will shine a subtle mystery.

Those divided in their loyalties, half-hearted in their approach
Will be deprived in both the worlds, O Bahu.
*(The secret poppy is compared to a lover’s heart owing its colour, delicate petals and dark spot in the centre which signifies burning in separation. This dark spot also symbolizes nuqta-i-suvaida, the eye of the heart, the third eye).–

–

–

–

Je Rabb nahaatiaan dhotiaan mildaa,
Mildaa dadooaan machheeaan hoo.

Je Rabb mildaa mon munaaiaan,
Mildaa bhedan sassiaan hoo.

Je Rabb jateeaan sateeaan mildaa,
Mildaa daandaan khasseeaan hoo.

Rabb unhaan noon mildaa Baahoo,
Neetaan jinhaan achheeaan hoo.

–

If God could be found by bathing in holy waters,
Frogs and fish would find him.

If God were realized by cutting off your hair,
Sheep and goats, which are shorn for their wool, Would realize him too.

If God were found through nightly vigils,
bats and owls would find him.

If God could be found through calibacy,
Castrated bulls should also discover him.

God is realized by those, O Bahu,
Who are pure of heart, noble of intent.

–

–

–

–

Jisne alif mutaaliaa keetaa,
Be daa baab na parhdaa hoo.

Chhorh sifaatee jis laddios zaatee,
Aamee door chaa karda hoo.

Nafs ammaaraa kutrhaa jaane,
Naaz niaaz na dhardaa hoo.

Kiaa parvaah tinhaan noon,
Jinhaan Ghaarhoo laddhaa ghar daa hoo.

–

One who has grasped the meaning of Alif,
Need not proceed to read the chapter of bey*

One who has obtained the true Name of God
Will discard the names that simply describe him.

He does not feed and pamper the cruel dog of his ego.

They are free of all care, O Bahu, Who have the Master in their home
To fashion the ornament of their soul.
*(Bey (Pronounced ‘bay’) is the second letter of the Arabic, Persian and Urdu alphabets. Here it means all knowledge that is other than God’s, who is symbolized by Alif, the first letter. See also the footnote of Bait 28).

–

–

–

–

Jain dil ishq khareed na keetaa,
So dil sakht na-bakhtee hoo.

Ustaad azal de sabaq parhhaaiaa,
Hath dittas dil takhtee hoo.

Bar sar aaiaan dam na maareen,
Jaan aave sir sakhtee hoo.

Parhh tauheed ho waasil Baahoo,
Sabaq parhheeve waqtee hoo.

–

Ill-starred is the heart That has not struck the bargain of love.

My timeless Teacher has insribed this lesson
On the tablet of my heart:

“Be not vain when you taste success;
make no complaint when times prove hard.

Learn the lesson of oneness and merge in God, O Bahu-
The lesson only a living Master can teach.”

–

–

–

–

Jain dil ishq khareed na keetaa,
So dil dard na phuttee hoo.

Us dil theen sang patthar change,
Jis dil ghaflat attee hoo.

Jain dil ishq huzoor na mangiaa,
So dargaahon suttee hoo.

Miliaa dost na unhaan,
Jinhaan Chaurh na keetee trattee hoo.

–

The heart that has not struck the bargain of love
Remains bereft of the pain of longing.

A stone is better than the heart
That is stuck in the mire of apathy.

The heart that does not seek God’s loving presence
Will be cast out of his courst.

You cannot find the Friend, O Bahu,
If you have not sacrificed your all for him.

–

–

–

–

Jain dil ishq khareed na keeta,
So dil dard na jaane hoo.

Khunse khusre har koee aakhe,
Kaun kahe mardaane hoo.

Galeeaan wich phiran arbele,
Jion danger deevaane hoo.

Mard namard tadaaheen khulsan,
Jad aashiq banhsan gaane hoo.

–

Hearts that have not struck the bargain of love
Cannot know the pangs of longing.

They will always be labelled spiritually impotent.
Who will consider them ‘men of God’?

Aimlessly they roam the alleyways of life,
Like cattle dumb and stupid.
When lovers tie the wrist bands of commitment*

Before entering the arena of love,
It will be clear who is a man of God And who a mere pretender.
*
(In some parts of India it is the custom to tie wrist bands on those entering battle).

–

–

–

–

Jain denh daa main dar tainde te,
Sajdaa sahee vanj keetaa hoo.

Us denh daa fidaa uthaaheen,
Bayaa darbaar na leetaa hoo.

Sir devan sirr aakhan naheen,
Shauq piaalaa peetaa hoo.

Main qurbaan tinhaan ton jinhaan,
Ishq salaamat keetaa hoo.

–

Ever since I correctly bowed my head*
At your doorstep, O Lord,

I have dedicated my life to your court –
I have sought no other court since.

Once you have drunk from the cup of love,
You would rather part with your head.

Than the secret of your heart, O Bahu,
I make myself a sacrifice to anyone
Who has preserved God’s love with his life.
*(By correctly bowing one’s head in prayer, Bahu means meditating according to the instructions of one’s Master).–

–

–

–

Jeenda kee jaanan saar moiaan dee,
So jaane jo mardaa hoo.

Qabraan de wich ann na paanee,
Kharch lorheendaa ghar daa hoo.

Ikk vichhorha maan pio bhaaeeaan,
Biaa azaab qabar daa hoo.

Waah naseebaa usdaa jehrha,
Wich hayaatee mardaa hoo.

–

How can the living know the plight of the dead?
He alone knows who himself has died!

The grave provides no food, no drink,
No provisions for the new home.*

To one’s separation from paretns and relatives
There is the added torment of the grave.

How fortunate is he, O Bahu,
Who can die while still alive!
*(Provisions: We can only have available to us after death what we have earned during our lives through our prayers and our actions – good, as well as bad. In other words, we carry our own provisions into the world beyond).

–

–

–

–

Jeevandiaan mar raihanaa hove,
Taan des faqeeraan bahe-e hoo.

Je koee sutte guddarh koorha,
Vaang arooree rahee-e hoo.

Je koee deve gaalaan mehne,
Usnoon jee jee kahee-e hoo.

Gila, ulaahmaan, bhandee,
Khwaaree, Yaar de paaron sahee-e hoo.

Qaadir de hath dor asaadi,
Jion rakkhe tion rahee-e hoo.

–

If you wish to learn the art of dying while living,
Go and sit in the company of mystics.

If someone splatters you with dirt,
Be like a dung hill, take it without reproach.

Let them hurl abuse at you – accept it in humility.

Bear complaints, censure, blame, calumny with patience –
For the sake of the Beloved.

Our strings are in the hands of Almighty;
Let us live in submission to his will.

–

–

–

–

Charh channaan te kar rushnaaee,
Zikr karende teraa hoo.

Tere jahe chann kaee sai charhde,
Sajanaan bajh haneraa hoo.

Jithe chann asaadaa charhdaa,
Qadar naheen kujh teraa hoo.

Jis de kaaran janam gavaaiaa,
Yaar mile ik pheraa hoo.

–

Rise, o moon, and spread your light –
They are all fondly talking of you!

Even if thousands of moons like you were to rise,
Without my Friend I would still be in utter darkeness.

May my beloved Friend, For whom I have sacrificed my life,
Come before me just once!

–

–

–

–

Charh channaan te kar rushnaaee,
Zikr karende taare hoo.

Galeeaan de wich phiran nimaane,
Laalaan de vanjaare hoo.

Shaalaa koee na theeve musaafir,
Kakkh jinhaan ton bhaare hoo.

Taarhee maar udaa na saanoon,
Aape uddanhaare hoo.

–

Rise, O moon, And spread your light across the heavens;
The stars remember you in silent prayers,
Their hearts glimmering with hope.

Now like beggers, We roam the alleyways of earthly life,
When once in our own Homeland, We were merchants of rubies.

O, may no one ever have to leave his own home,
For one is not worth a piece of straw In this alien land!

They need not clap their hands To startle us out of this world, O Bahu;
We are already disposed to fly back To our long-lost Home.

–

–

–

–

Haafiz parhh parhh karan takabbur,
Mullaan karan vadaaee hoo.

Saavan maah de badalaan vaangoon,
Phiran kitaabaan chaaee hoo.

Jithe wekhan changaa chokhaa,
Parhhn kalaam savaaee hoo.

Doheen jahaaneen mutthe jinhaan,
Khaadhee wech kamaaee hoo.

–

The hafiz is proud of his learning,
The priest thrives on self-promotion.

Like monsoon clouds they’re continously on the move
With books under their arms, selling their honour.

Wherever they find a promising household,
They read the scripture in loud, fervent strains For a lucrative commission.

O Bahu! They have put God’s name on sale Just to make a living.
In this world they live spiritually bankrupt;
Stripped of all honor, they go to the one beyond.

–

–

–

–

Khaam keeh jaanan saar faqar dee,
Maihram naaheen dil de hoo.

Aab mittee theen paidaa hoe,
Khaamee bhaande gil de hoo.

Qadar keeh jaanan laal jawaahar,
Ho saudaagar bil de hoo.

So eemaan salaamat vaisan,
Bhajj faqeeraan milde hoo.

–

The uninitiated have no inkling Of the mystic way of life –
They know not the secrets of the heart.

They are always brittle and frail –
Like unbaked pots of clay.

Or they can be compared to glass merchants
Who know nothing Of the worth of rubies and diamonds.

Only ardent seekers of the company of mystics
Will remain steadfast in their faith.

–

–

–

–

Daal dilaan wich dil jo aakhen,
So dil door daleelon hoo.

Dil daa daur agohaan keeje,
Kasrat kanon qaleelon hoo.

Qalb kamaal, jamaalon, jismon,
Jauhar jaah jaleelon hoo.

Qibla qalb munavvar hoiaa,
Khalwat khaas khaleelon hoo.

–

A heart among hearts:*
The heart that is sublime beyond comprehension.

When your heart advances in contemplation of God,
It will comprehend how there is unity in diversity.

The heart is the essence of divinity in man;
In form and beauty it is the symbol of perfection.

When I contemplated on my true Firend
In the privacy of my inner self,
The temple of my heart will illumined with his light.
*(In Sufi parlance, the heart means the eye centre, the third eye, the spiritual heart of our very being)

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Dard andar daa andar saarhe,
Baahar karaan taan ghaayal hoo.

Haal asaadaa keeven jaanan,
Jo duneeaa te maayal hoo.

Baihar samundar ishqe waalaa,
Hardam raihandaa haayal hoo.

Pahunch huzoor aasaan na Baahoo,
Asaan naam tere de saayal hoo.

–

The pain in my heart burns me inside.
Were I to bare the wounds of my heart,
The sight would torment the hearts of others!

How can they whose hearts are smitten by this world
Ever understand my condition?

Between you and me, my Lord,
Surges ocean of love.

To reach your presence is no easy task for me!
I beg for your Name-to sail across to you.

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Dardmandaan daa khoon jo peendaa,
Birhon baaz marelaa hoo.

Chhaatee de wich keetos deraa,
Sher baithaa mal belaa hoo.

Haathee mast sandhooree caangoon,
Kardaa pelaa pelaa hoo.

Pele daa visvaas na keeje,
Pele baajh na melaa hoo.

–

The pain of separation is a deadly hawk:
It preys on lovers, it drinks their blood.

Like a lion ruling the forest
This hawk has made my heart its own domain.

Like an enraged rogue elephant,
It raises its trunk, it trumpets and it charges.

But do not fear the thrusts of this pain, O Bahu!
Without union with the Beloved is not possible.

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Dardmandaan de dhooen dhukhde,
Dardaa koee na seke hoo.

Ehnaan dhooiaan de taa tikhere,
Maihram hoe taan seke hoo.

Chhik shamsheer kharhaa hai sir te,
Taras pavas taan theke hoo.

Sauhre kurhee-e apne vanjanaa,
Sadaa na raihanaa peke hoo.

–

The hearts of lovers burn in the fire of longing-
No one dare sit by its searing flames!

This fire is sorching- Only someone who knows the heart’s inner secrets
Will warm himself by it.

Death stands over your head, with his sword drawn-
May the Master take pity and sheathe death’s blade!*

Every bride must eventually go to her bridegroom’s home-
She cannot stay forever in her parents’ house.**
* (Only a Master, through his grace, can sheathe the sword of death and bestow immortality).
**(In India, the bride traditionally moves into the bridegroom’s home on the wedding day. In Bahu’s metaphor, the soul is the bride which must, on her wedding day, accompany death (the bridegroom) from this world, which she has wrongly come to consider as her own home).–

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Dardmandaan dee aaheen kolon,
Pathar pahaarh de jharhde hoo.

Dardmandaan dee aaheen ton,
Bhajj naag zameen wich varhde hoo.

Dardmandaan dee aaheen ton,
Asmaanon taare jharhde hoo.

Dardmandaan dee aaheen kolon,
Aashiq mool na darde hoo.

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Faced with the sighs of lovers,
Even mountains crumble to earth.

Faced with the sighs of lovers,
Even deadly snakes flee to their holes.